Must-read Tips for Websites That Are Both Beautiful AND Functional

Must-read Tips for Websites That Are Both Beautiful AND Functional

There are two main elements that you need to concentrate on when you create a website: it needs to look good and be easy to use. Too often people work too hard on one or the other and neglect the other side of it.

So you could have a stunning website that's difficult to navigate or even load. Or you might have an easily accessible website with a dull or misjudged design. But you can create a site that's both usable and beautiful if you know how to combine looks and functionality. You don't have to neglect one for the other when there are lots of techniques you can use to nail them both. Try using some of these excellent methods to present a good-looking site that's still easy to use.

Keep It Simple

One of the key rules to keep in mind when you're designing your website is not to overcomplicate it. It's understandable that you want to try and fit in as much as possible, but sometimes less is more. When it comes to web design, too much going on can be confusing and can blur your message. It could also slow your site down, making it difficult to use even on a basic level. Offering the minimum amount of information and images necessary is often the way to go, especially on your homepage. Many sites look best when they have one prominent picture and only a few navigation options.

Use Clear Explanatory Images

Huge walls of text don't tend to look appealing to someone arriving on your homepage or even elsewhere on your site. Long articles and explanations can sometimes be appropriate. But they might not help if you're trying to lead visitors toward performing an action. For example, you might want them to sign up for your service. But they could end up distracted by elements that lead them away from the path you want them to take. In some instances, using images to explain things, such as how your product or service works, can be a better choice. You can use diagrams or even photos to make your explanations clearly and beautifully. They allow you to keep things simple while having an impactful visual effect at the same time.

Organize Drop-down Menus Logically

Some people prefer to offer only a few select navigation buttons or links from their homepage. But if you want everything on your site to be readily available from one place, drop-down menus can be beneficial. You don't want visitors to have to follow a trail of links to reach the page they want. If you do decide to use a drop-down menu, you need to plan it out before you start to make sure it's logical. For example, you might have lots of products for which visitors want to see the specifications immediately. You should separate your product pages into categories that make sense to the customer. You can start off with broad categories and gradually narrow them down. But remember you can also separate them with on-page filters.

Explain Products Clearly

One of the places where you might want to focus a bit more on text and explanations is on product pages. Your descriptions and specifications should give your customers as much information as they need to make a decision about a purchase. You can use both images and text to advertise each product, using the space to convince visitors why they should buy it. But don't make anything too cluttered and full of so much information that no one can cope. Stick to the essentials and make it clear and concise, breaking up chunks of text, so they're easier to read and less bulky on the page.

Point Your Visitors in the Right Direction

When you're thinking about the design of your site, you need to consider where you want them to go. What are your goals for people who land on your site, whether they start on the homepage, a product page or a blog post? Part of good web design for business is having calls to action and a layout and navigation that leads visitors where you want them to go. One way you can literally point them in the right direction is through the use of images that help them follow a step-by-step process. For example, you can use arrows or numbers to lead them down a page or to get them to click through to the next part of an explanation. Show them where you want them to go and it will be easier for them to get there.

Personalize the Experience

All your visitors don't have to see the same things and have the same experiences when they use your site. Whether it is suitable will depend on your product. But you can create a more personal experience for each person who comes to your site. You can use their past actions and behaviors to make your site slightly different for everyone, allowing them to use it in their own ways. They can see the content that they're interested in, either presented to them automatically or with easy ways to search for it.

Try a Homepage Slider

When you create your homepage, it can be tempting to try and put everything about your brand on it at once. But you don't want to create a cluttered and busy page that puts people off exploring your site further. One way of having more information but with minimum fuss is by using a homepage slider. Visitors to your site can then see several important pieces of content, such as new products or offers, but they only get one at a time. You can add some fantastic visuals to your homepage without cluttering it up. But make sure you get it right and don't have the slider scroll too quickly or make it difficult to click from one slide to another.

You can have a website that's both beautiful and functional. Look at your site from the user's perspective and you're more likely to achieve both. If you welcome feedback on the site, you'll be able to see how others find the experience of using it.